Odds and ends from a missed opportunity as Sharks drop 5-3 decision to Anaheim, head to LA

Just enough energy to knock out a quick posting after that hugely missed opportunity that saw the Sharks take two steps backward for every one they took forward last week.

The print edition story linked in the right-hand column gets into the eseentials of that 5-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Go there first. But there were a few things that didn’t make the cut. Here we go.

******Todd McLellan was harsher on Brent Burns for that interference penalty leading to the second Anaheim goal than the defenseman was on himself for trying to slow down Teemu Selanne.

First, Burns: “You never want to take one. I think it was just a reaction. I didn’t think it was very justified. I’ve seen a lot more let go. What’re you going to do?

Now McLellan: “Avoidable penalty? Absolutely. It makes no sense to take that penalty when the player’s not in the play.

“And then on the penalty kill we end up with two players on the outside and the puck goes to the slot area. That’s the mental part I’m talking about. If you’re not sharp physically, you better be sharp mentally to position yourself properly and we were neither.”

******Twice the Sharks scored, only to give up goals on the very next shift. And this isn’t the first game that’s been a problem.

“Forty seconds after we score they’re right back into it,” McLellan said. “It’s pretty simple. You’ve got to win faceoffs, you’ve got to advance to the redline and get your forecheck going, get them back on their heels.

“In both cases we did neither. They put it back into our zone and ended up scoring. That takes a lot of energy out of your team and it’s tough to get the engine going again. That’s disappointing.”

******Captain Joe Thornton was down after the loss, but not out.

“It’s disappointing. We could have hopped over a bunch of teams tonight, but that’s sports. It’s unfortunate that we just didn’t win. But we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve got to go to LA and play hard tomorrow.

“Hopefully it;’s just a little step back and then tomorrow we’ll have a great game.”

As for what happened against Anaheim, “I don’t know why.”

Is team confidence still there? “It is. We gave them most of their chances tonight and we just have to clean that up.”

What was said in the locker room between the second and third periods? “It’s between the guys in here.”

On that note, I am out of here. Yet to pack for the morning flight to lovely Burbank.

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

The only way these threads are going to have fewer people slinging less [crap] is if David steps it up by writing more stories so we can have fewer threads with less [crap] per story. Start writing!

I’m thinking 95% chance the Kings show up tonight and 85% chance the Sharks show up. So, good chance it will be a good game.

NoCupWithDW

BE,

actually, cross ice passes down low in the zone are highly unlikely to turn into goals against because the puck usually is deflected into the corner, when it is not, you have at least 2 guys back and 4 of the opposing team down low. Not a high risk play, just a low probability of success play.

Buddy Elf

Man, reading through these posts, MLBSF’s homo-erotic man-crush on 39 is in full effect today. Remember when he said he texts with him? TIP: Getting fluids on Couture’s signed 8×10 ruins the value. Maybe get a clear poncho next time.

Buddy Stevo

192,

You don’t need an avatar to read. Any time I see a Buddy Elf post I just pass it over, because he just repeats the same thing over and over again. And I never look at avatars.

Mike

We should have kept Nolan for the season, not one day, even if he barely got ice time. Does anyone doubt the butt kicking he’d be giving these guys? Does anyone doubt what his post game quotes would be like compared to what we’re reading? I can live with losses if the work ethic, drive and passion is there on the ice. I was at the game – part of it was in slow mo in the beginning. Anaheim had an excuse, and then they woke up and realized the Sharks were acting like the team preparing for golf and ripe for the taking, so they took over the game.

So far as Marleau – renegotiate his salary to be commensurate with his worth on the ice and to the team, or dump him for better assets and hopefully ones that bring the intensity of a Nolan or JR to the ice and the locker room. I agree with JR – a waste of his god given talent, but a very good 3rd liner most nights and on some nights 4th. And I base that on watching him live where you see a lot more than TV when you key in on him. Without his speed, what is he? And how often do you see him use it? And that shot? Where is it? I’m seeing him hit the goalie in the gut with brutal accuracy (unless he misses the net), or sweeping in a rebound that hits his stick as the rule, and the great stuff, not so often.

toaster523

I’ve been a Sharks fan since they started, but I can no longer watch this team. For 4 of the last 5 yrs. the Sharks really had a contending team – always disappointed. If any of you really think the Sharks are contenders this year, you’ve lost it. Team teal is heading in the wrong direction. Thornton, Marleau, Boyle just aren’t the players they used to be and they aren’t getting any younger. I also agree with many others here that Wilson is responsible for this team, for trading away so many draft picks to win NOW. He has got to go. And how about “dump and chase” TMac. You see what Ken Hitchkock has done with a the 3rd rate lineup St. Loius has? I hate the trap and cannot watch a game where one of his teams are protecting a lead, but the man knows how to win in this league.
Sorry, boys but for those of you who enjoyed rooting for the underdog all those early years of the franchise, happy days are here again! For the rest of us, maybe the next team, next time.

Buddy Elf

NoCup: Absolutely… but that won’t stop the incessant whining when the turnovers do happen, and turn into goals against.

Dirty: He lost his gravtar because his e-mail address was banned, and he is skirting the ban by not using that e-mail with the gravtar attached. he figures that without the avatar, DP might not catch him back here posting after he was banned.

NoCupWithDW

MLBSF,

better get your man crush on Couture fulfilled over the next 2 years. that boy has 1 smart agent. Negotiated a 2 year extension on his contract through 2014. At the end of this contract, he is an arbitration qualified RFA. that means he can get the BIG $$ from the Sharks via arbitration and when he does, the sharks will pass, making him a UFA.

D Willy must go

@mlbsf 126

How nice it is to know that there is at least 1 non Teal-aid sipper out there. I totally agree with you on ” The Ghost” aka Patrica Marleau. Quite frankly don’t know why anyone defends him. If a player any player gets paid the kind of coin Marleau does and fails to produce like he does they are usually GONE right away. IMO he is the very epitome of this team, a total Creampuff.

Doug H
Please put down the crack pipe, that is your love of this loser

Buddy Elf

You hop on the bandwagon of a “local” sports team that you hear is in the 3rd round of the playoffs in a sport you know nothing about, but it’s a cool sport because they fight.

Then, that team loses RIGHT after you started following them. So, you stop watching, but then the next year, you hear on the radio they are in the same round of the playoffs as when you started watching them last year. Then they LOSE right after you started following them.

Not understanding a sport you just started watching, and then watching a team lose right after you start following them….

Man, MLBSF and CforPavs, I can’t understand your frustration, but I will try to empathize with you.

Buddy Elf

D Willy: “If a player any player gets paid the kind of coin Marleau does and fails to produce like he does they are usually GONE right away.”

Please cite some examples from the last 5 years.

Thank you.

SacTownSharksFan

Last night was a reminder of some of the issues we had in the past.
1. We cannot deal with a fast team. Our defense is slow, we take too much time setting up and against a fast team we are simply in trouble.
2. We do not hit. A team can win even if their opponent is fast as long as they hit. The game last night looked like the series 3 years ago. Ducks did everything they wanted.
3. They need to play Greiss. Simple as that.
4. Quit messing with the lines. We need to develop some chemistry, and that will not help.
5. When we got Jumbo, we had highlight plays almost every night from him. What happened? How many times does he put the puck right in front of the net, no one is there and it goes back in the neutral zone.
6. I saw the numbers for detroit, vancouver and the other perennial PO contenders- the only difference, all other teams with a .333 winning percentage in their last ten games are now on a playoff spot.

Buddy Elf

Heading out….. you kids have fun circle jerking!

Martin Brody

I don’t have anything negative to say after last night’s loss to Anaheim. What else is new? I hope the boys in teal can beat the Kings tonight. Go Sharks go!

MLBSF

@208

Well I don’t like the sound of that.

But you’re prolly right. It would be bad news for Stamkos if Logan left, because I see Logan pushing 50 goals with a different team.

Martin Brody

It’s funny how the moderator will tolerate stuff like this @213 from the regulars like Buddy Elf… Some of the so called anti Shark bloggers have been banned for their objective unbiased clean posts. Simply amazing.

because that does not fit with DW pay ranges for young players. No 7 mil contracts until you are at least 25 yo. Also, DW does not like long term deals. long term does not mean 10-12 ys. How about 5-6 years?

Martin Brody

NoCupWithDW,

It will only work at home when we have the last change. The one scoring line on the road will get matched up to the opposing team’s checking line.

Dave

Nemo in net, White in the lineup, Not sure why TMac let’s him play WOW.
Go Sharks!

Topcat

Van and White in…and some complain TMAC doesn’t send msgs.

Teejay

This team needs to be blown up. They need offense; nobody can put the puck in net. When you only score 2 and 3 goals per game, it isn’t enough when you have lousy defense and lousy goaltending. They need defense; When they allow 4 and 5 goals a game. They need goaltending; too many soft goals. They need coaching; current coaches cannot get a supposedly talented team to win. They need management; DW has made some lousy trades. I hate to think that it is going to be another 21 years before they can challenge for the cup.

This team has to be the biggest failure, dissapointment, call it what you will, of the entire NHL hockey season and some significant heads need to roll over this one. As DW usually says at seasons end: “We let our fans down”. They did that in spades.

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